Evidence Supporting Darwin's Theory

There are four main pieces of evidence that supports Darwin's theory.

• The Fossil Record

We know through many pieces of fossil evidence that whales used to have legs, and that they slowly adapted to not have any at all. This is sure evidence that adaptations can occur, have occured, and possibly are occuring at this very moment.

• Similarities in DNA and Protein Sequences Between Organisms

DNA sequences in humans and apes only differ slightly, while DNA sequences in humans and rats differ extremely. This hints that all living creatures originated from one common ancestor, and species whose DNA is similar to another species' DNA must be close together in how they differ with the common ancestor.

• Homologous and Vestigial body Structures

Definition of "Homologous body Structure" - body parts similar in structure, but have different functions. An example of this is the flipper of a whale, and arm of a human, and the wing of a bat. Click on this website to view a diagram: http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/askville/259862_1624020_mywrite/5fingers.jpg Homologous body structures supports evidence that we all came from the same common ancestor because we are all made up the same sort of way. The definition of a "Vestigial body Structure" is a body structure that serves no purpose. An example of this would be the human tailbone. Vestigial body structures proves that Darwin's theory of evolution may be correct because as species develop they may not need a certain body part anymore, so the body gets rid of it through millions of years of genetic mutations.

• Similarities in Early Development

Early embryos of different species often look very similar. An example of this would be the embro of a human and the embro of a rabbit. Click on this website to view a diagram: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhql01O5sJlqt8X3dSo-OBhK-b8PLZw2rMdrDkeAFMIrGwDDHgBNvqrWl478FENjvcUDFP3uZIGQLjnlJ7xIQFCkeUZ8Nu-FhVKpQ-NwwDs9ooXBY0nY88-fPGVul8sTtwtlb8eps32g0Fb/s660/embryo-compare.jpg This similarity is evidence that we all evolved from the same common ancestor because all sorts of animals' embryos look the same.